Message to bank workers by Com. Devidas Tuljapurkar, General Secretary, Maharashtra Bank Employees Federation (MSBEF)
Have faith in union & it’s leadership. They are more concerned than you all. Do whatever best is possible in carrying out this agitation. The union will not hesitate to give call for indefinite strike at most appropriate time. Ensure that calls are observed in totality.
Strike amounts to cession of work. Employee refuses to sell his labour. This is against certain policy or decision or act on the part of the government which is taking this is decision. This amounts to protest against the government & its policy. This gives signal to the government as also to the society on our view point.
It has its own impact on trade, economy, business, commerce. It stops the movement in the economy & thus halts it.
If we are able to convince society at large on our purpose then it becomes people’s movement. Our action should not result in taking the people at ransom or otherwise we will be isolated.
If we give call for indefinite strike without people on our side it will be misconstrued & we will be isolated. Some individual or institution may approach High Court or Supreme Court & may try to obtain stay on our strike or if government is convinced that people are not with us government may bring ordinance to ban our strikes to disarm us on the lines of ordinance factory employees. That will be disastrous.
In 1969 Banks were nationalised by issuing ordinance. The same was challenged in the Supreme Court where the same was declared invalid. Everybody thought that we have lost the battle & it is end of the game but at this crucial juncture bank employees came on streets to defend bank nationalisation. Ultimately parliament intervened & thus bank nationalisation was upheld.
Have faith in union & it’s leadership. They are more concerned than you all. Do whatever best is possible in carrying out this agitation.
The union will not hesitate to give call for indefinite strike at most appropriate time. Ensure that calls are observed in totality.